Herniated disc car accident lawyer Lakewood

When the injured person is a child, a disc claim works differently in almost every respect. The limitations period is affected by age, a settlement generally cannot be finalised without court approval, the funds are handled under supervision until adulthood, and a parent may hold a separate claim of their own for medical costs. None of that is obvious, and families frequently settle a child’s claim informally without realising any of it applies. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. has practiced since 1997 and Mr. Sris is admitted in New Jersey. Reach our location at (888) 437-7747.

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What This Injury Is Worth Here

This firm does not quote figures and none is dependable before the medical position settles — less so for a child, whose growth and skeletal maturity affect both prognosis and the assessment of permanent consequences. Value follows the imaging findings, the correlation with examination, the treatment course and the effect on education and activity. Because a settlement is reviewed by the court, the supporting material has to be complete rather than merely agreed: the medical records, the prognosis, and a clear account of what the child can and cannot do. A figure agreed without that material is not necessarily a figure that will be approved.

Which Court Your Claim Is Filed In

Civil injury claims are filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Civil Part, in the vicinage covering Ocean County. Lower-value claims are heard in the Special Civil Part of the same court under a simplified procedure. Where a public entity or a public employee is involved, a Tort Claims Act notice requirement under N.J.S.A. 59:8-8 applies in addition and runs far ahead of the deadline for filing suit. A settlement on behalf of a minor requires court approval, and the funds are ordinarily held under supervision until the child reaches adulthood.

What to Do Before You Talk to the Adjuster

Do not agree any resolution of a child’s claim informally, and do not sign anything on their behalf without advice, because a settlement made without approval may not be effective. Keep the treatment record complete, including how the injury affects school, sport and daily activity, since those are the consequences the court will look at. Note that a parent may have a distinct claim for medical expenses. And be careful with any offer that appears generous relative to the treatment so far, because a child’s prognosis is harder to fix early.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the deadline different for a child?

Yes. Limitations periods are affected where the injured person is a minor, and the period may not run in the ordinary way until adulthood. That does not make delay advisable — evidence disappears at the same rate regardless — but it does mean a claim assumed to be out of time may not be. The position should be confirmed on the specific facts.

Why does a court have to approve the settlement?

Because a child cannot agree to compromise their own claim, and the approval process exists to protect them from a resolution that is inadequate or that they had no part in. The court reviews the medical material and the terms, and settlement funds are ordinarily held under supervision until the child reaches adulthood.

Do parents have a claim of their own?

A parent may have a distinct claim for medical expenses incurred on the child’s behalf, which is separate from the child’s own claim for the injury and its consequences. The two are handled together but they are not the same claim, and both should be identified at the outset.

About Mr. Sris

Mr. Sris is the owner and founder of Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., which has practiced since 1997. He is a former prosecutor and is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York. Of Counsel attorneys contract directly with the firm and handle matters alongside him.

Speak With Mr. Sris

A child’s claim cannot be settled informally, and the material supporting it has to satisfy a court rather than only an adjuster. Request a consultation. Reach our location at (888) 437-7747. Consultations are by appointment.

Last reviewed: August 24, 2026.

Attorney Advertising. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., principal office: 4008 Williamsburg Court, Fairfax, VA 22032. By appointment. Call (888) 437-7747 to schedule.

The information on this page is general and is not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading it or by contacting the firm. Case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. Results may vary.

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